Skip to main content
bioRxiv
  • Home
  • About
  • Submit
  • ALERTS / RSS
Advanced Search
New Results

Undocumented potential for primary productivity in a globally-distributed bacterial photoautotroph

View ORCID ProfileE.D. Graham, J.F. Heidelberg, View ORCID ProfileB.J. Tully
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/140715
E.D. Graham
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for E.D. Graham
J.F. Heidelberg
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
B.J. Tully
1Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
2Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • ORCID record for B.J. Tully
  • For correspondence: tully.bj@gmail.com
  • Abstract
  • Full Text
  • Info/History
  • Metrics
  • Preview PDF
Loading

Abstract

Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophs (AAnPs) are common in the global oceans and are associated with photoheterotrophic activity. To date, AAnPs have not been identified in the surface ocean that possess the potential for carbon fixation. Using the Tara Oceans metagenomic dataset, we have reconstructed draft genomes of four bacteria that possess the genomic potential for anoxygenic phototrophy, carbon fixation via the Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle, and the oxidation of sulfite and thiosulfate. Forming a monophyletic clade within the Alphaproteobacteria and lacking cultured representatives, the organisms compose minor constituents of local microbial communities (0.1-1.0%), but are globally distributed, present in multiple samples from the North Pacific, Mediterranean Sea, the East Africa Coastal Province, and the South Atlantic. These organisms represent a shift in our understanding of microbially-mediated photoautotrophy in the global oceans and provide a previously undiscovered route of primary productivity.

Significance Statement In examining the genomic content of organisms collected during the Tara Oceans expedition, we have identified a novel clade within the Alphaproteobacteria that has the potential for photoautotrophy. Based on genome observations, these organisms have the potential to couple inorganic sulfur compounds as electron donors to fix carbon into biomass. They are globally distributed, present in samples from the North Pacific, Mediterranean Sea, East Africa Coastal Current, and the South Atlantic. This discovery may require re-examination of the microbial communities in the global ocean to understand and constrain the impacts of this group of organisms on the global carbon cycle.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International license.
Back to top
PreviousNext
Posted June 16, 2017.
Download PDF
Email

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv.

NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Undocumented potential for primary productivity in a globally-distributed bacterial photoautotroph
(Your Name) has forwarded a page to you from bioRxiv
(Your Name) thought you would like to see this page from the bioRxiv website.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Share
Undocumented potential for primary productivity in a globally-distributed bacterial photoautotroph
E.D. Graham, J.F. Heidelberg, B.J. Tully
bioRxiv 140715; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/140715
Reddit logo Twitter logo Facebook logo LinkedIn logo Mendeley logo
Citation Tools
Undocumented potential for primary productivity in a globally-distributed bacterial photoautotroph
E.D. Graham, J.F. Heidelberg, B.J. Tully
bioRxiv 140715; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/140715

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Subject Area

  • Microbiology
Subject Areas
All Articles
  • Animal Behavior and Cognition (4372)
  • Biochemistry (9561)
  • Bioengineering (7075)
  • Bioinformatics (24800)
  • Biophysics (12581)
  • Cancer Biology (9929)
  • Cell Biology (14306)
  • Clinical Trials (138)
  • Developmental Biology (7935)
  • Ecology (12085)
  • Epidemiology (2067)
  • Evolutionary Biology (15965)
  • Genetics (10910)
  • Genomics (14716)
  • Immunology (9850)
  • Microbiology (23597)
  • Molecular Biology (9463)
  • Neuroscience (50750)
  • Paleontology (369)
  • Pathology (1537)
  • Pharmacology and Toxicology (2675)
  • Physiology (4003)
  • Plant Biology (8646)
  • Scientific Communication and Education (1506)
  • Synthetic Biology (2388)
  • Systems Biology (6417)
  • Zoology (1345)