Phylogenetic analysis of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria and their relatives based on farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase gene

The study aims to reveal phylogenetic and evolutionary relationship between aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria（AAnPB） and their relatives,anaerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria（AnAnPB） and nonphototrophic bacteria（NPB,which had high homology of 16S rDNA gene with AAnPB and fell into the same genus）,and validate reliability and usefulness of farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase（FPPS） gene for the phylogenetic determination.FPPS genes with our modified primers and 16S rDNA genes with general primers,were amplified and sequenced or retrieved from GenBank database.In contrast to 16S rDNA gene phylogenetic tree,AAnPB were grouped into two clusters and one branch alone with no intermingling with NPB and AnAnPB in the tree constructed on FPPS.One branch of AAnPB,in both trees,was located closer to outgroup species than AnAnPB,which implicated that some AAnPB would be diverged earlier in FPPS evolutionary history than AnAnPB and NPB.Some AAnPB and NPB were closer located in both trees and this suggested that they were the closer relatives than AnAnPB.Combination codon usage in FPPS with phylogenetic analysis,the results indicates that FPPS gene and 16S rRNA gene have similar evolutionary pattern but the former seems to be more reliable and useful in determining the phylogenic and evolutionary relationship between AAnPB and their relatives.This is the first attempt to use a molecular marker beside 16S rRNA gene for studying the phylogeny of AAnPB,and the study may also be helpful in understanding the evolutionary relationship among phototrophic microbes and the trends of photosynthetic genes transfer.

Community structure of aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria in algae-and macrophyte-dominated areas in Taihu Lake,China

Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria(AAPB)repre sent a major group of bacterioplankton assemblages in many water systems and some are assumed to be closely associated with phytoplankton.However,studies on relationships between AAPB and cyanobacterial blooms are in scarcity.The dynamics of the abundance and diversity of AAPB was compared based on pufM gene in Meiliang Bay(featured by cyanobacterial blooms)and East Bay(featured by macrophyte)of Taihu Lake,a shallow subtropical lake in the East China plain.AAPB abundance was not significantly different between the two sites,and they were positively correlated with dissolved organic carbon(DOC)concentration.The ratios of AAPB to total bacteria varied from 3.4%to 11.5%and peaked in winter in both site s.No significant differences of AAPB community compositions were detected between the two sites,but there was a separation between warm seasons(June,August,and October)and cold seasons(December,February,and April).Rhizobiales and Limnohabitans-like pufM sequences were significantly contributors for the difference between two seasons,and specially enriched in cold seasons.Chlorophyll a(Ch1 a)and DOC were the most significant variables influencing the AAPB community structure.Furthermore,Porphyrobacter and Rhodospirillales-like pufM sequences were positively correlated with Ch1 a,indicating potential influence of cyanobacterial blooms on these AAPB taxa.These results suggested that diverse AAPB ecotypes coexisted in Taihu Lake,and their ecological role in carbon cycling in the lake may not be ignored.

Environmental control of growth and BChl a expression in an aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium, Erythrobacter longus (DSMZ6997)

anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria （AAPB）, which form a unique functional group of heterotrophic bacteria, have the abilit,to utilize light energy. The impact of carbon source and light intensity on the growth and bacteriochlorophyn a （ BChl a） expression of a typical strain of AAPB, Erythrobacter longus strain DSMZ6997 was examined during batch culture and continuous culture. The results showed that the expression of BChl a in DSMZ6997 was regulated by both carbon-source and light conditions, and was stimulated by low availability of carbon but inhibited by light to a certain extent at 300 lx and completely at 1 500 lx. In contrast, cell abundance, and even cell size of this strain, was substantially enhanced under light/dark cycle cultivation conditions over dark conditions, indicating the promotion of growth by light. These results led to the conclusion that utilization of light through BChl a helps AAPB to survive under carbon stress, while light at high intensity is harmful to the synthesis of BChl a in AAPB.

Diversity of the aerobic anoxygenic phototrophy gene pufM in Arctic and Antarctic coastal seawaters

Aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic（AAP） bacteria serve important functions in marine carbon and energy cycling because of their capability to utilize dissolved organic substrates and harvest light energy.AAP bacteria are widely distributed in marine environments,and their diversity has been examined in marine habitats.However,information about AAP bacteria at high latitudes remains insufficient to date.Therefore,this study determined the summer AAP bacterial diversity in Arctic Kongsfjorden and in the Antarctic coastal seawater of King George Island on the basis of puf M,a gene that encodes a pigment-binding protein subunit of the reaction center complex.Four puf M clone libraries were constructed,and 674 positive clones were obtained from four investigated stations（two in Kongsfjorden and two in the Antarctic Maxwell Bay）.Arctic clones were clustered within the Alphaproteobacteria,whereas Antarctic clones were classified into the Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria classes.Rhodobacteraceae-like puf M genes dominated in all samples.In addition,sequences closely related to puf M encoded on a plasmid in Sulfitobacter guttiformis were predominant in both Arctic and Antarctic samples.This result indicates the transpolar or even global distribution of puf M genes in marine environments.Meanwhile,differences between the Arctic and Antarctic sequences may prove polar endemism.These results indicate the important role of Rhodobacteraceae as AAP bacteria in bipolar coastal waters.