Next-Generation Microbial Workhorses: Comparative Genomic Analysis of Fast-Growing Vibrio Strains Reveals Their Biotechnological Potential

Abstract

Vibrio is a recognized fast-growing bacterial genus, which is considered to be attractive for the development of next-generation biotechnological workhorses. Here, three Vibrio strains FA1, FA2, and FA3, capable of growing rapidly in cost-effective media, are isolated and systematically evaluated. Genome sequencing and comparative genomic analyses are performed to reveal the underlying genetic differences between the strains and estimate their biotechnological potential. Studies of their phylogenetic tree, colinear visualization, and orthology uncover some difference in the gene content related to cell growth of the four Vibrio strains FA1, FA2, FA3, and ATCC 14048, which may explain growth superiority of the isolated strains. It is noted that there are more copies of several genes related to the DNA replication in the FA2 genome than in the other compared Vibrio strains. Furthermore, the genes responsible for amino synthesis are found, such as asD, within strains FA1 and FA2. Gene cluster cadABC, which relates to cell adaptation at acidic pH, only exists in strains FA1, FA2, and FA3. Finally, the wide spectra of substrates and genetic operability of these three isolated Vibrio strains are initially verified. This study provides excellent candidates for the development of next-generation fast-growing microbial workhorses, which may be very useful in synthetic biology.

Keywords: Vibrio; genomic analyses; growth evaluation; workhorse.