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Watershed Function – Scientific Focus Area

Retroelement-guided protein diversification abounds in vast lineages of Bacteria and Archaea

We examined the prevalence of DGRs identified in groundwater metagenomes. The diagram shows a schematic of a genomic DGR cassette and mutagenic retrohoming mechanism. Some of the proteins being evolved may be involved in cell-cell interactions.
Scientific Achievement

Diversity generating retroelements occur in CPR and DPANN, putative symbionts with reduced genomes. These enzymes introduce hypervariability in specific proteins.

Significance and Impact

Targeted protein diversification is a pronounced trait of CPR and DPANN compared to other organisms. This diversification mechanism may provide a versatile tool for adaptation to a host-dependent existence.

Research Details
  • Genomes were reconstructed from environmental samples.
  • Diversity generating retroelements were identified
  • Incidence as a function of lineage was determined
  • Diversification targets were identified and the protein’s function predicted
Citation

Paul, B. G.; Burstein, D.; Castelle, C. J.; Handa, S.; Arambula, D.; Czornyj, E.; Thomas, B. C.; Ghosh, P.; Miller, J. F.; Banfield, J. F.; Valentine, D. L. (2017), Retroelement-guided protein diversification abounds in vast lineages of Bacteria and Archaea, Nature Microbiology, 2, 17045 DOI: 10.1038/nmicrobiol.2017.45.