scholarly journals How Much Do rRNA Gene Surveys Underestimate Extant Bacterial Diversity?

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis M. Rodriguez-R ◽  
Juan C. Castro ◽  
Nikos C. Kyrpides ◽  
James R. Cole ◽  
James M. Tiedje ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe most common practice in studying and cataloguing prokaryotic diversity involves the grouping of sequences into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) at the 97% 16S rRNA gene sequence identity level, often using partial gene sequences, such as PCR-generated amplicons. Due to the high sequence conservation of rRNA genes, organisms belonging to closely related yet distinct species may be grouped under the same OTU. However, it remains unclear how much diversity has been underestimated by this practice. To address this question, we compared the OTUs of genomes defined at the 97% or 98.5% 16S rRNA gene identity level against OTUs of the same genomes defined at the 95% whole-genome average nucleotide identity (ANI), which is a much more accurate proxy for species. Our results show that OTUs resulting from a 98.5% 16S rRNA gene identity cutoff are more accurate than 97% compared to 95% ANI (90.5% versus 89.9% accuracy) but indistinguishable from any other threshold in the 98.29 to 98.78% range. Even with the more stringent thresholds, however, the 16S rRNA gene-based approach commonly underestimates the number of OTUs by ∼12%, on average, compared to the ANI-based approach (∼14% underestimation when using the 97% identity threshold). More importantly, the degree of underestimation can become 50% or more for certain taxa, such as the generaPseudomonas,Burkholderia,Escherichia,Campylobacter, andCitrobacter. These results provide a quantitative view of the degree of underestimation of extant prokaryotic diversity by 16S rRNA gene-defined OTUs and suggest that genomic resolution is often necessary.IMPORTANCESpecies diversity is one of the most fundamental pieces of information for community ecology and conservational biology. Therefore, employing accurate proxies for what a species or the unit of diversity is are cornerstones for a large set of microbial ecology and diversity studies. The most common proxies currently used rely on the clustering of 16S rRNA gene sequences at some threshold of nucleotide identity, typically 97% or 98.5%. Here, we explore how well this strategy reflects the more accurate whole-genome-based proxies and determine the frequency with which the high conservation of 16S rRNA sequences masks substantial species-level diversity.

2015 ◽  
Vol 65 (Pt_1) ◽  
pp. 90-94 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. García-Fraile ◽  
M. Chudíčková ◽  
O. Benada ◽  
J. Pikula ◽  
M. Kolařík

During the study of bacteria associated with bats affected by white-nose syndrome hibernating in caves in the Czech Republic, we isolated two facultatively anaerobic, Gram-stain-negative bacteria, designated strains 12T and 52T. Strains 12T and 52T were motile, rod-like bacteria (0.5–0.6 µm in diameter; 1–1.3 µm long), with optimal growth at 20–35 °C and pH 6–8. On the basis of the almost complete sequence of their 16S rRNA genes they should be classified within the genus Serratia ; the closest relatives to strains 12T and 52T were Serratia quinivorans DSM 4597T (99.5 % similarity in 16S rRNA gene sequences) and Serratia ficaria DSM 4569T (99.5 % similarity in 16S rRNA gene sequences), respectively. DNA–DNA relatedness between strain 12T and S. quinivorans DSM 4597T was only 37.1 % and between strain 52T and S. ficaria DSM 4569T was only 56.2 %. Both values are far below the 70 % threshold value for species delineation. In view of these data, we propose the inclusion of the two isolates in the genus Serratia as representatives of Serratia myotis sp. nov. (type strain 12T = CECT 8594T = DSM 28726T) and Serratia vespertilionis sp. nov. (type strain 52T = CECT 8595T = DSM 28727T).


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (47) ◽  
Author(s):  
David A. Wilkinson ◽  
Lynn E. Rogers ◽  
Ahmed Fayaz ◽  
Rukhshana N. Akhter ◽  
Patrick J. Biggs ◽  
...  

Draft genomes of five Campylobacter isolates recovered from New Zealand brushtail possums are described. Genome sizes ranged from 1.591 Mbp to 1.594 Mbp, with G+C contents of 29.9% to 29.95%. Comparison to Australian Campylobacter 16S rRNA gene sequences suggests that the species may be common to possums.


2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (10) ◽  
pp. 6308-6318 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen A. Vrionis ◽  
Robert T. Anderson ◽  
Irene Ortiz-Bernad ◽  
Kathleen R. O'Neill ◽  
Charles T. Resch ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The geochemistry and microbiology of a uranium-contaminated subsurface environment that had undergone two seasons of acetate addition to stimulate microbial U(VI) reduction was examined. There were distinct horizontal and vertical geochemical gradients that could be attributed in large part to the manner in which acetate was distributed in the aquifer, with more reduction of Fe(III) and sulfate occurring at greater depths and closer to the point of acetate injection. Clone libraries of 16S rRNA genes derived from sediments and groundwater indicated an enrichment of sulfate-reducing bacteria in the order Desulfobacterales in sediment and groundwater samples. These samples were collected nearest the injection gallery where microbially reducible Fe(III) oxides were highly depleted, groundwater sulfate concentrations were low, and increases in acid volatile sulfide were observed in the sediment. Further down-gradient, metal-reducing conditions were present as indicated by intermediate Fe(II)/Fe(total) ratios, lower acid volatile sulfide values, and increased abundance of 16S rRNA gene sequences belonging to the dissimilatory Fe(III)- and U(VI)-reducing family Geobacteraceae. Maximal Fe(III) and U(VI) reduction correlated with maximal recovery of Geobacteraceae 16S rRNA gene sequences in both groundwater and sediment; however, the sites at which these maxima occurred were spatially separated within the aquifer. The substantial microbial and geochemical heterogeneity at this site demonstrates that attempts should be made to deliver acetate in a more uniform manner and that closely spaced sampling intervals, horizontally and vertically, in both sediment and groundwater are necessary in order to obtain a more in-depth understanding of microbial processes and the relative contribution of attached and planktonic populations to in situ uranium bioremediation.


Author(s):  
Jun-Jie Ying ◽  
Zhi-Cheng Wu ◽  
Yuan-Chun Fang ◽  
Lin Xu ◽  
Cong Sun

Parvularcula flava was proposed as a novel member of genus Parvularcula in 2016. Some time earlier, Aquisalinus flavus has been proposed as a novel species of a novel genus named Aquisalinus . When comparing the 16S rRNA gene sequences of type strains P. flava NH6-79T and A. flavus D11M-2T, they showed 97.9 % sequence identity, much higher than the sequence identities 92.7–94.3 % between P. flava NH6-79T and type strains in the genus Parvularcula , indicating that the later proposed novel taxon Parvularcula flava need reclassification. The phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and genome sequences both showed that P. flava NH6-79T and A. flavus D11M-2T formed a separated branch away from strains in the genera Parvularcula , Marinicaulis and Amphiplicatus . The average amino acid identity and average nucleotide identity values of P. flava NH6-79T and A. flavus D11M-2T were 87.9 and 85.0 %, respectively, much higher than the values between P. flava NH6-79T and other closely related type strains (54.3 %–58.1 % and 68.6–70.4 %, respectively). P. flava NH6-79T and A. flavus D11M-2T also contained summed feature 8 (C18 : 1  ω6c and/or C18 : 1  ω7c) and C16 : 0 as major fatty acids, distinguishing them from other closely related taxa. Based on the results of the phylogenetic, comparative genomic and phenotypic analyses, Parvularcula flava should be reclassified as Aquisalinus luteolus nom. nov. and the description of genus Aquisalinus is emended.


2011 ◽  
Vol 77 (20) ◽  
pp. 7207-7216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naomi F. Montalvo ◽  
Russell T. Hill

ABSTRACTThe giant barrel spongesXestospongiamutaandXestospongiatestudinariaare ubiquitous in tropical reefs of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, respectively. They are key species in their respective environments and are hosts to diverse assemblages of bacteria. These two closely related sponges from different oceans provide a unique opportunity to examine the evolution of sponge-associated bacterial communities. Mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene sequences fromX.mutaandX.testudinariashowed little divergence between the two species. A detailed analysis of the bacterial communities associated with these sponges, comprising over 900 full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences, revealed remarkable similarity in the bacterial communities of the two species. Both sponge-associated communities include sequences found only in the twoXestospongiaspecies, as well as sequences found also in other sponge species and are dominated by three bacterial groups,Chloroflexi,Acidobacteria, andActinobacteria. While these groups consistently dominate the bacterial communities revealed by 16S rRNA gene-based analysis of sponge-associated bacteria, the depth of sequencing undertaken in this study revealed clades of bacteria specifically associated with each of the twoXestospongiaspecies, and also with the genusXestospongia, that have not been found associated with other sponge species or other ecosystems. This study, comparing the bacterial communities associated with closely related but geographically distant sponge hosts, gives new insight into the intimate relationships between marine sponges and some of their bacterial symbionts.


2017 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Irene Cano ◽  
Ronny van Aerle ◽  
Stuart Ross ◽  
David W. Verner-Jeffreys ◽  
Richard K. Paley ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTOne of the fastest growing fisheries in the UK is the king scallop (Pecten maximusL.), also currently rated as the second most valuable fishery. Mass mortality events in scallops have been reported worldwide, often with the causative agent(s) remaining uncharacterized. In May 2013 and 2014, two mass mortality events affecting king scallops were recorded in the Lyme Bay marine protected area (MPA) in Southwest England. Histopathological examination showed gill epithelial tissues infected with intracellular microcolonies (IMCs) of bacteria resemblingRickettsia-like organisms (RLOs), often with bacteria released in vascular spaces. Large colonies were associated with cellular and tissue disruption of the gills. Ultrastructural examination confirmed the intracellular location of these organisms in affected epithelial cells. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the putative IMCs obtained from infected king scallop gill samples, collected from both mortality events, were identical and had a 99.4% identity to 16S rRNA gene sequences obtained from “CandidatusEndonucleobacter bathymodioli” and 95% withEndozoicomonasspecies.In situhybridization assays using 16S rRNA gene probes confirmed the presence of the sequenced IMC gene in the gill tissues. Additional DNA sequences of the bacterium were obtained using high-throughput (Illumina) sequencing, and bioinformatic analysis identified over 1,000 genes with high similarity to protein sequences fromEndozoicomonasspp. (ranging from 77 to 87% identity). Specific PCR assays were developed and applied to screen for the presence of IMC 16S rRNA gene sequences in king scallop gill tissues collected at the Lyme Bay MPA during 2015 and 2016. There was 100% prevalence of the IMCs in these gill tissues, and the 16S rRNA gene sequences identified were identical to the sequence found during the previous mortality event.IMPORTANCEMolluscan mass mortalities associated with IMCs have been reported worldwide for many years; however, apart from histological and ultrastructural characterization, characterization of the etiological agents is limited. In the present work, we provide detailed molecular characterization of anEndozoicomonas-like organism (ELO) associated with an important commercial scallop species.


Author(s):  
Hisami Kobayashi ◽  
Yasuhiro Tanizawa ◽  
Mitsuo Sakamoto ◽  
Moriya Ohkuma ◽  
Masanori Tohno

The taxonomic status of the species Clostridium methoxybenzovorans was assessed. The 16S rRNA gene sequence, whole-genome sequence and phenotypic characterizations suggested that the type strain deposited in the American Type Culture Collection ( C. methoxybenzovorans ATCC 700855T) is a member of the species Eubacterium callanderi . Hence, C. methoxybenzovorans ATCC 700855T cannot be used as a reference for taxonomic study. The type strain deposited in the German Collection of Microorganism and Cell Cultures GmbH (DSM 12182T) is no longer listed in its online catalogue. Also, both the 16S rRNA gene and the whole-genome sequences of the original strain SR3T showed high sequence identity with those of Lacrimispora indolis (recently reclassified from Clostridium indolis ) as the most closely related species. Analysis of the two genomes showed average nucleotide identity based on blast and digital DNA–DNA hybridization values of 98.3 and 87.9 %, respectively. Based on these results, C. methoxybenzovorans SR3T was considered to be a member of L. indolis .


2014 ◽  
Vol 64 (Pt_6) ◽  
pp. 1890-1899 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nigel A. Harrison ◽  
Robert E. Davis ◽  
Carlos Oropeza ◽  
Ericka E. Helmick ◽  
María Narváez ◽  
...  

In this study, the taxonomic position and group classification of the phytoplasma associated with a lethal yellowing-type disease (LYD) of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) in Mozambique were addressed. Pairwise similarity values based on alignment of nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene sequences (1530 bp) revealed that the Mozambique coconut phytoplasma (LYDM) shared 100 % identity with a comparable sequence derived from a phytoplasma strain (LDN) responsible for Awka wilt disease of coconut in Nigeria, and shared 99.0–99.6 % identity with 16S rRNA gene sequences from strains associated with Cape St Paul wilt (CSPW) disease of coconut in Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. Similarity scores further determined that the 16S rRNA gene of the LYDM phytoplasma shared <97.5 % sequence identity with all previously described members of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ’. The presence of unique regions in the 16S rRNA gene sequence distinguished the LYDM phytoplasma from all currently described members of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ’, justifying its recognition as the reference strain of a novel taxon, ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma palmicola’. Virtual RFLP profiles of the F2n/R2 portion (1251 bp) of the 16S rRNA gene and pattern similarity coefficients delineated coconut LYDM phytoplasma strains from Mozambique as novel members of established group 16SrXXII, subgroup A (16SrXXII-A). Similarity coefficients of 0.97 were obtained for comparisons between subgroup 16SrXXII-A strains and CSPW phytoplasmas from Ghana and Côte d’Ivoire. On this basis, the CSPW phytoplasma strains were designated members of a novel subgroup, 16SrXXII-B.


2013 ◽  
Vol 63 (Pt_5) ◽  
pp. 1906-1911 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shih-Yi Sheu ◽  
Yu-Wen Shiau ◽  
Yan-Ting Wei ◽  
Wen-Ming Chen

To investigate the biodiversity of bacteria in the spring water of the Chengcing Lake Park in Taiwan, a Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped, non-motile, non-spore-forming and aerobic bacterial strain, designated strain Chen16-4T, was isolated and characterized in a taxonomic study using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the closest relatives of strain Chen16-4T were Sphingobium amiense YTT, Sphingobium yanoikuyae GIFU 9882T and Sphingobium scionense WP01T, with sequence similarities of 97.6, 97.1 and 97.0 %, respectively. A phylogenetic tree obtained with 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain Chen16-4T and these three closest relatives formed an independent phylogenetic clade within the genus Sphingobium . The polar lipid pattern, the presence of spermidine and ubiquinone Q-10, the predominance of C18 : 1ω7c in the cellular fatty acid profile and the DNA G+C content also supported affiliation of the isolate to the genus Sphingobium . The DNA–DNA relatedness of strain Chen16-4T with respect to recognized species of the genus Sphingobium was less than 70 %. On the basis of the genotypic, chemotaxonomic and phenotypic data, strain Chen16-4T represents a novel species in the genus Sphingobium , for which the name Sphingobium fontiphilum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Chen16-4T ( = BCRC 80308T = LMG 26342T = KCTC 23559T).


2013 ◽  
Vol 63 (Pt_10) ◽  
pp. 3904-3914 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deividas Valiunas ◽  
Rasa Jomantiene ◽  
Robert Edward Davis

Phytoplasmas are classified into 16Sr groups and subgroups and ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ’ species, largely or entirely based on analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences. Yet, distinctions among closely related ‘Ca. Phytoplasma ’ species and strains based on 16S rRNA genes alone have limitations imposed by the high degree of rRNA nucleotide sequence conservation across diverse phytoplasma lineages and by the presence in a phytoplasma genome of two, sometimes sequence-heterogeneous, copies of the 16S rRNA gene. Since the DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (DpRp) β-subunit gene (rpoB) exists as a single copy in the phytoplasma genome, we explored the use of rpoB for phytoplasma classification and phylogenetic analysis. We sequenced a clover phyllody (CPh) phytoplasma genetic locus containing ribosomal protein genes, a complete rpoB gene and a partial rpoC gene encoding the β′-subunit of DpRp. Primers and reaction conditions were designed for PCR-mediated amplification of rpoB gene fragments from diverse phytoplasmas. The rpoB gene sequences from phytoplasmas classified in groups 16SrI, 16SrII, 16SrIII, 16SrX and 16SrXII were subjected to sequence similarity and phylogenetic analyses. The rpoB gene sequences were more variable than 16S rRNA gene sequences, more clearly distinguishing among phytoplasma lineages. Phylogenetic trees based on 16S rRNA and rpoB gene sequences had similar topologies, and branch lengths in the rpoB tree facilitated distinctions among closely related phytoplasmas. Virtual RFLP analysis of rpoB gene sequences also improved distinctions among closely related lineages. The results indicate that the rpoB gene provides a useful additional marker for phytoplasma classification that should facilitate studies of disease aetiology and epidemiology.


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