Comparison of the terrestrial cyanobacterium Leptolyngbya sp. NIES-2104 and the freshwater Leptolyngbya boryana PCC 6306 genomes.
The cyanobacterial genus Leptolyngbya is widely distributed throughout terrestrial environments and freshwater. Because environmental factors, such as oxygen level, available water content, and light intensity, vary between soil surface and water bodies, terrestrial Leptolyngbya should have genomic differences with freshwater species to adapt to a land habitat. To study the genomic features of Leptolyngbya species, we determined the complete genome sequence of the terrestrial strain Leptolyngbya sp. NIES-2104 and compared it with that of the near-complete sequence of the freshwater Leptolyngbya boryana PCC 6306. The greatest differences between these two strains were the presence or absence of a nitrogen fixation gene cluster for anaerobic nitrogen fixation and several genes for tetrapyrrole synthesis, which can operate under micro-oxic conditions. These differences might reflect differences in oxygen levels where these strains live. Both strains have the genes for trehalose biosynthesis, but only Leptolyngbya sp. NIES-2104 has genetic capacity to produce a mycosporine-like amino acid, mycosporine-glycine. Mycosporine-glycine has an antioxidant action, which may contribute to adaptation to terrestrial conditions. These features of the genomes yielded additional insights into the classification and physiological characteristics of these strains.
Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Studies, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan shimura.yohei@nies.go.jp.
Yohei
Y
Shimura
Department of Environmental and Life Sciences/Electronics-Inspired Interdisciplinary Research Institute (EIIRIS), Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan.
Yuu
Y
Hirose
Department of Environmental and Life Sciences/Electronics-Inspired Interdisciplinary Research Institute (EIIRIS), Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan.
Naomi
N
Misawa
Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, University of Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan.
Yasunori
Y
Osana
Life Science Research Center, Mie University, Tsu, Mie 514-8507, Japan.
Hiroshi
H
Katoh
Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Studies, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan.
Haruyo
H
Yamaguchi
Center for Environmental Biology and Ecosystem Studies, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan.
Masanobu
M
Kawachi
D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics*; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000382:microbiology*; D016680:Genome, Bacterial; D009586:Nitrogen Fixation / Q000235:genetics; D010802:Phylogeny; D014199:Trehalose / Q000235:genetics
D014199:Trehalose
comparative genomics; cyanobacteria; genome sequence; nitrogen fixation