Possibly, a further adaptation of the photosynthetic apparatus to the conditions of aerobic marine environments

in members AZD3965 supplier of the NOR5-1 lineage led to a rapid diversification and speciation process in this PLX-4720 purchase subclade, reflected by a high number of microdiverse 16S rRNA gene sequences retrieved from marine surface waters. Probably, the optimization of anoxygenic photophosphorylation under aerobic conditions gave representatives of the NOR5-1 lineage a selective advantage, which enabled them to play a significant role in the euphotic zone of coastal marine environments. An evolving specialization to a distinct type of metabolism could be also reflected in the observed reduction of the genome size among photoheterotrophic members of the OM60/NOR5 clade: The genomes of C. litoralis and Rap1red have an estimated size of 4.3 and 4.2 million base pairs (Mb), whereas in the strains HTCC2080, Ivo14T and Himb55, which all belong to the NOR5-1 lineage considerably smaller genome sizes of 3.6, 3.3 and 2.7 Mb, respectively, were found. Previously, it was claimed that reductive genome evolution

in the genera Prochlorococcus and Candidatus Pelagibacter is driven by Selleck FDA approved Drug Library an adaptation to the oligotrophic growth conditions in open ocean waters [40, 41]. Table 3 Presence of genes with taxonomic significance in members of the OM60/NOR5 and BD1-7 clades Signature genes Putative phenotypic trait NOR5-1 NOR5-3 NOR5-4 BD1-7 1 2 3 4 5 6 pufLMC Photosynthetic reaction center + + + + – - pucAB Light-harvesting complex 2 – - + + – - ppsR Repression of pigment synthesis + + + + – - BLUF Response to blue light + + + + + – pop Proteorhodopsin – - – - + + soxB Thiosulfate

oxidation + + + + + – ctaCDGE caa 3 cytochrome c oxidase + + + + + + ccoNOQP cbb 3 cytochrome c oxidase + + + + + + cydAB Cytochrome bd2 quinol oxidase – - – + – - flhOPQRBA Motility – + + + + + pilMNOPQ Type IV pili + + + + + + cphAB Cyanophycin production – - + + – - ppk Polyphosphate storage + + + + + – phaBC Polyhydroxyalkanoate production + – - – - – desC pentoxifylline Oxygen-dependent synthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids – + + + + + sod Superoxide dismutase + – + + + – katG Catalase/Peroxidase + + + + + – ureABC Urease – - + + – - bglx Beta-glucosidase – + – + + + paaNBDFGHIJK Aromatic ring cleavage + + – - – - The affiliation of strains to subclades is based on [13]. Strains and accession numbers: 1, Luminiphilus syltensis Ivo14T [GenBank:ACCY01000000]; 2, marine gammaproteobacterium HTCC 2080 [GenBank:AAVV01000000]; 3, Congregibacter litoralis KT71T [GenBank:AAOA01000000]; 4, Congregibacter sp. Rap1red [GenBank:ACCX01000000]; 5, gammaproteobacterium IMCC3088 [GenBank:AEIG01000000]; 6, marine gammaproteobacterium HTCC2143 [GenBank:NZ_AAVT00000000].