title: Rhizosphere microbiome metagenomics of gray mangroves (Avicennia marina) in the Red Sea.
abstract: Mangroves are unique, and endangered, coastal ecosystems that play a vital role in the tropical and subtropical environments. A comprehensive description of the microbial communities in these ecosystems is currently lacking, and additional studies are required to have a complete understanding of the functioning and resilience of mangroves worldwide. In this work, we carried out a metagenomic study by comparing the microbial community of mangrove sediment with the rhizosphere microbiome of Avicennia marina, in northern Red Sea mangroves, along the coast of Saudi Arabia. Our results revealed that rhizosphere samples presented similar profiles at the taxonomic and functional levels and differentiated from the microbiome of bulk soil controls. Overall, samples showed predominance by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, with high abundance of sulfate reducers and methanogens, although specific groups were selectively enriched in the rhizosphere. Functional analysis showed significant enrichment in 'metabolism of aromatic compounds', 'mobile genetic elements', 'potassium metabolism' and 'pathways that utilize osmolytes' in the rhizosphere microbiomes. To our knowledge, this is the first metagenomic study on the microbiome of mangroves in the Red Sea, and the first application of unbiased 454-pyrosequencing to study the rhizosphere microbiome associated with A. marina. Our results provide the first insights into the range of functions and microbial diversity in the rhizosphere and soil sediments of gray mangrove (A. marina) in the Red Sea.
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: hanin.alzubaidy@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Hanin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alzubaidy
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: magbubah.essack@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Magbubah
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Essack
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: tariq.malas@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Tareq B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Malas
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: ameerah.bokhari@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Ameerah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bokhari
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: olaa.motwalli@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Olaa
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Motwalli
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: frederick.kinyua@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Frederick Kinyua
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Kamanu
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: Suhaiza.Jamhor@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Suhaiza Ahmad
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jamhor
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: NoorAzlin.Mokhtar@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Noor Azlin
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Mokhtar
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: andre.antunes@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Antunes
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: marta.simoes@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Marta Filipa
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: intikhab.alam@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Intikhab
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Alam
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: Salim.Bougouffa@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Salim
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bougouffa
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: feras.lafi@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Feras F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Lafi
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: vladimir.bajic@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: Vladimir B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Bajic
authors.affiliation: King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Computational Bioscience Research Center (CBRC), Computer, Electrical and Mathematical Sciences and Engineering Division (CEMSE), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address: john.archer@kaust.edu.sa.
authors.forename: John A C
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Archer
mesh_terms: D032407:Avicennia / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D019156:Indian Ocean; D056186:Metagenomics; D064307:Microbiota; D058441:Rhizosphere; D012529:Saudi Arabia
keywords: Aromatic hydrocarbon degradation; Microbial diversity; Mobile genetic elements; Osmolytes; Potassium metabolism; Sediments