Genomics Reveals the Metabolic Potential and Functions in the Redistribution of Dissolved Organic Matter in Marine Environments of the Genus Thalassotalea

Abstract

Members of the bacterial genus Thalassotalea have been isolated recently from various marine environments, including marine invertebrates. A metagenomic study of the Deepwater Horizon oil plume has identified genes involved in aromatic hydrocarbon degradation in the Thalassotalea genome, shedding light on its potential role in the degradation of crude oils. However, the genomic traits of the genus are not well-characterized, despite the ability of the species to degrade complex natural compounds, such as agar, gelatin, chitin, or starch. Here, we obtained a complete genome of a new member of the genus, designated PS06, isolated from marine sediments containing dead marine benthic macroalgae. Unexpectedly, strain PS06 was unable to grow using most carbohydrates as sole carbon sources, which is consistent with the finding of few ABC transporters in the PS06 genome. A comparative analysis of 12 Thalassotalea genomes provided insights into their metabolic potential (e.g., microaerobic respiration and carbohydrate utilization) and evolutionary stability [including a low abundance of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) loci and prophages]. The diversity and frequency of genes encoding extracellular enzymes for carbohydrate metabolism in the 12 genomes suggest that members of Thalassotalea contribute to nutrient cycling by the redistribution of dissolved organic matter in marine environments. Our study improves our understanding of the ecological and genomic properties of the genus Thalassotalea.

An analysis of the bacterial community in and around scleractinian corals of Phu Quoc Island, Vietnam

“…According to Cervino et al (2004) and Frydenborg et al (2014), Vibrio could exist in the coral holobiont as an opportunistic bacterium when environmental conditions change. Alteromonas and Thalassotalea genera, on the other hand, benefit coral organisms by participating in metabolic pathways that allow the coral holobiont to absorb sources of carbohydrates (Kim et al, 2020), sulfur, and carbon more efficiently (Liu et al, 2018;Raina et al, 2009). In our study, all coral samples were in good health.…”

Characterization of microbiota and histology of cultured sea cucumber Isostichopus badionotus juveniles during an outbreak of skin ulceration syndrome

“…It's worth noting that some species of Arcobacter are pathogenic and considered emerging enteropathogens in both humans and livestock [57]. In holothuroids, Arcobacter has been isolated from the intestine and the skin ulcers of A. japonicus and H. scabra [15,58,59].…”

The Effect of the Artificial Reef on the Structure and Function of Sediment Bacterial Community

“…Photobacterium, Vibrio, and Thalassotalea commonly occur in seawater and cooperate with marine animals. Some are highly specific bioluminescent mutualisms with marine fish and squid [78,79]. These genera were found to have a higher relative abundance in NR.…”