Comparative genomics: Dominant coral-bacterium Endozoicomonas acroporae metabolizes dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP)

ISME J. 2020 May;14(5):1290-1303. doi: 10.1038/s41396-020-0610-x. Epub 2020 Feb 13.

Abstract

Dominant coral-associated Endozoicomonas bacteria species are hypothesized to play a role in the coral sulfur cycle by metabolizing dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) into dimethylsulfide (DMS); however, no sequenced genome to date harbors genes for this process. In this study, we assembled high-quality (>95% complete) draft genomes of strains of the recently added species Endozoicomonas acroporae (Acr-14T, Acr-1, and Acr-5) isolated from the coral Acropora sp. and performed a comparative genomic analysis on the genus Endozoicomonas. We identified DMSP CoA-transferase/lyase-a dddD gene homolog in all sequenced genomes of E. acroporae strains-and functionally characterized bacteria capable of metabolizing DMSP into DMS via the DddD cleavage pathway using RT-qPCR and gas chromatography (GC). Furthermore, we demonstrated that E. acroporae strains can use DMSP as a carbon source and have genes arranged in an operon-like manner to link DMSP metabolism to the central carbon cycle. This study confirms the role of Endozoicomonas in the coral sulfur cycle.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anthozoa / microbiology*
  • Bacteria / genetics
  • Carbon-Sulfur Lyases
  • Gammaproteobacteria / genetics
  • Gammaproteobacteria / metabolism*
  • Genomics
  • Sulfides
  • Sulfonium Compounds / metabolism*
  • Sulfur / metabolism

Substances

  • Sulfides
  • Sulfonium Compounds
  • Sulfur
  • dimethylpropiothetin
  • Carbon-Sulfur Lyases
  • dimethylsulfoniopropionate lyase
  • dimethyl sulfide

Supplementary concepts

  • Endozoicomonas acroporae