Post-translational modifications are enriched within protein functional groups important to bacterial adaptation within a deep-sea hydrothermal vent environment.
Post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins is one important strategy employed by bacteria for environmental adaptation. However, PTM profiles in deep-sea microbes remain largely unexplored.



We provide here insight into PTMs in a hydrothermal vent microbial community through integration of metagenomics and metaproteomics. In total, 2919 unique proteins and 1306 unique PTMs were identified, whereas the latter included acetylation, deamination, hydroxylation, methylation, nitrosylation, oxidation, and phosphorylation. These modifications were unevenly distributed among microbial taxonomic and functional categories. A connection between modification types and particular functions was demonstrated. Interestingly, PTMs differed among the orthologous proteins derived from different bacterial groups. Furthermore, proteomic mapping to the draft genome of a Nitrospirae bacterium revealed novel modifications for proteins that participate in energy metabolism, signal transduction, and inorganic ion transport.



Our results suggest that PTMs are enriched in specific functions, which would be important for microbial adaptation to extreme conditions of the hydrothermal vent. PTMs in deep-sea are highly diverse and divergent, and much broader investigations are needed to obtain a better understanding of their functional roles.
Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong.
Weipeng
W
Zhang
Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong.
Jin
J
Sun
Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong.
Huiluo
H
Cao
Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong.
Renmao
R
Tian
Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong.
Lin
L
Cai
Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong.
Wei
W
Ding
Division of Life Science, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Hong Kong. boqianpy@ust.hk.
Pei-Yuan
PY
Qian
D000064:Acclimatization; D001419:Bacteria / Q000145:classification* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004269:DNA, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis; D060086:Hydrothermal Vents / Q000382:microbiology*; D056186:Metagenomics / Q000379:methods; D010802:Phylogeny; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S / Q000032:analysis; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D004269:DNA, Bacterial; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012336:RNA, Ribosomal, 16S
Hydrothermal vent; Metaproteomics; Nitrospirae; Post-translational modification