Setting out to isolate uncultivated deep marine sediment microorganisms, we engineered and operated a methane-fed continuous-flow bioreactor system for more than 2,000 days to enrich such organisms from anaerobic marine methane-seep sediments 15 (Supplementary Note 1). We successfully enriched many phylogenetically diverse yetto-be cultured microorganisms, including Asgard archaea members (Loki-, Heimdall-and Odinarchaeota) 15. For further enrichment and isolation, samples of the bioreactor community were inoculated in glass tubes with simple substrates and basal medium. After approximately one year, we found faint cell turbidity in a culture containing casamino acids supplemented with four bacteria-suppressing antibiotics (Supplementary Note 2) that was incubated at 20 °C. Clone librarybased small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene analysis revealed a simple community that contained Halodesulfovibrio and a small population of Lokiarchaeota (Extended Data Table 1). In pursuit of this archaeon, which we designated strain MK-D1, we repeated subcultures when MK-D1 reached maximum cell densities as measured by quantitative PCR (qPCR). This approach gradually enriched the archaeon, which has an extremely slow growth rate and low cell yield (Fig. 1a). The culture consistently had a 30-60-day lag phase and required more

34The origin of eukaryotes remains enigmatic. Current data suggests that eukaryotes may 35 have risen from an archaeal lineage known as "Asgard archaea". Despite the eukaryote-36 like genomic features found in these archaea, the evolutionary transition from archaea to 37 eukaryotes remains unclear due to the lack of cultured representatives and corresponding 38 physiological insight. Here we report the decade-long isolation of a Lokiarchaeota-related 39Asgard archaeon from deep marine sediment. The archaeon, "Candidatus 40Prometheoarchaeum syntrophicum strain MK-D1", is an anaerobic, extremely slow-41 growing, small cocci (~550 nm), that degrades amino acids through syntrophy. Although 42 eukaryote-like intracellular complexities have been proposed for Asgard archaea, the 43 isolate has no visible organella-like structure. Ca. P. syntrophicum instead displays 44 morphological complexity -unique long, and often, branching protrusions. Based on 45 cultivation and genomics, we propose an "Entangle-Engulf-Enslave (E 3 ) model" for 46 eukaryogenesis through archaea-alphaproteobacteria symbiosis mediated by the physical 47 complexities and metabolic dependency of the hosting archaeon. 48 49 How did the first eukaryotic cell emerge? So far, among various competing evolutionary 50 models, the most widely accepted are the symbiogenetic models in which an archaeal 51 host cell and an alphaproteobacterial endosymbiont merged to become the first eukaryotic 52 cell 1-4 . Recent metagenomic discovery of Lokiarchaeota (and the Asgard archaea 53 superphylum) led to the theory that eukaryotes originated from an archaeon closely 54 related to Asgard archaea 5,6 . The Asgard archaea genomes encode a repertory of proteins 55 hitherto only found in Eukarya (eukaryotic signature proteins -ESPs), including those 56 involved in membrane trafficking, vesicle formation/transportation, ubiquitin and 57 cytoskeleton formation 6 . Subsequent metagenomic studies have suggested that Asgard 58 archaea have a wide variety of physiological properties, including hydrogen-dependent 59 anaerobic autotrophy 7 , peptide or short-chain hydrocarbon-dependent organotrophy 8-11 60 and rhodopsin-based phototrophy 12,13 . A recent study suggests that an ancient Asgard 61 archaea degraded organic substances and syntrophically handed off reducing equivalents 62 (e.g., hydrogen and electrons) to a bacterial partner, and further proposes a symbiogenetic 63 model for the origin of eukaryotes based on this interaction 14 . However, at present, no 64 single representative of the Asgard archaea has been cultivated and, thus, the physiology 65 and cell biology of this clade remains unclear. In an effort to close this knowledge gap, 66 3 we successfully isolated the first Asgard archaeon and here report the physiological 67 characteristics, potentially key insights into the evolution of eukaryotes. 68 69 Isolation of an Asgard archaeon 70Setting out to isolate uncultivated deep marine sediment microorganisms, we engineered 71 and operated a methane-fed continuous-fl...

Collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2) is an intracellular protein that mediates signaling of Semaphorin3A (Sema3A), a repulsive axon guidance molecule. Fyn, a Src-type tyrosine kinase, is involved in the Sema3A signaling. However, the relationship between CRMP2 and Fyn in this signaling pathway is still unknown. In our research, we demonstrated that Fyn phosphorylated CRMP2 at Tyr 32 residues in HEK293T cells. Immunohistochemical analysis using a phospho-specific antibody at Tyr 32 of CRMP showed that Tyr 32 -phosphorylated CRMP was abundant in the nervous system, including dorsal root ganglion neurons, the molecular and Purkinje cell layer of adult cerebellum, and hippocampal fimbria. Overexpression of a nonphosphorylated mutant (Tyr 32 to Phe 32 ) of CRMP2 in dorsal root ganglion neurons interfered with Sema3A-induced growth cone collapse response. These results suggest that Fyndependent phosphorylation of CRMP2 at Tyr 32 is involved in Sema3A signaling.Collapsin response mediator proteins (CRMPs) 4 have been identified as intracellular proteins that mediate Semaphorin3A (Sema3A) signaling in the nervous system (1). CRMP2 is one of the five members of the CRMP family. CRMPs also mediate signal transduction of NT3, Ephrin, and Reelin (2-4). CRMPs interact with several intracellular molecules, including tubulin, Numb, kinesin1, and Sra1 (5-8). CRMPs are involved in axon guidance, axonal elongation, cell migration, synapse maturation, and the generation of neuronal polarity (1, 2, 4, 5).CRMP family proteins are known to be the major phosphoproteins in the developing brain (1, 9). CRMP2 is phosphorylated by several Ser/Thr kinases, such as Rho kinase, cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5), and glycogen synthase kinase 3␤ (GSK3␤) (2, 10 -13). The phosphorylation sites of CRMP2 by these kinases are clustered in the C terminus and have already been identified. Rho kinase phosphorylates CRMP2 at Thr 555 (10). Cdk5 phosphorylates CRMP2 at Ser 522 , and this phosphorylation is essential for sequential phosphorylations by GSK3␤ at Ser 518 , Thr 514 , and Thr 509 (2, 11-13). These phosphorylations disrupt the interaction of CRMP2 with tubulin or Numb (2, 3, 13). The sequential phosphorylation of CRMP2 by Cdk5 and GSK3␤ is an essential step in Sema3A signaling (11,13 (19). In dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons from fyn-deficient mice, Sema3A-induced growth cone collapse response is attenuated compared with control mice (19). Furthermore, we recently found that Fyn phosphorylates CRMP1 and that this phosphorylation is involved in Reelin signaling (4). Although it has been shown that CRMP2 is involved in Sema3A signaling (1,11,13), the relationship between Fyn and CRMP2 in Sema3A signaling and the tyrosine phosphorylation site(s) of CRMPs remain unknown.Here

A novel slow-growing, facultatively anaerobic, filamentous bacterium, strain MO-CFX2 T , was isolated from a methanogenic microbial community in a continuous-flow bioreactor that was established from subseafloor sediment collected off the Shimokita Peninsula of Japan. Cells were multicellular filamentous, non-motile and Gram-stain-negative. The filaments were generally more than 20 µm (up to approximately 200 µm) long and 0.5-0.6 µm wide. Cells possessed pili-like structures on the cell surface and a multilayer structure in the cytoplasm. Growth of the strain was observed at 20-37 C (optimum, 30 C), pH 5.5-8.0 (pH 6.5-7.0), and 0-30 g l À1 NaCl (5 g l À1 NaCl). Under optimum growth conditions, doubling time and maximum cell density were estimated to be approximately 19 days and~10 5 cells ml À1 , respectively. Strain MO-CFX2 T grew chemoorganotrophically on a limited range of organic substrates in anaerobic conditions. The major cellular fatty acids were saturated C 16 : 0 (47.9 %) and C 18 : 0 (36.9 %), and unsaturated C 18 : 1 !9c (6.0 %) and C 16 : 1 !7 (5.1 %). The G+C content of genomic DNA was 63.2 mol%. 16S rRNA gene-based phylogenetic analysis showed that strain MO-CFX2 T shares a notably low sequence identity with its closest relatives, which were Thermanaerothrix daxensis GNS-1 T and Thermomarinilinea lacunifontana SW7 T (both 85.8 % sequence identity). Based on these phenotypic and genomic properties, we propose the name Aggregatilinea lenta gen. nov., sp. nov. for strain MO-CFX2 T (=KCTC 15625 T , =JCM 32065 T). In addition, we also propose the associated family and order as Aggregatilineaceae fam. nov. and Aggregatilineales ord. nov., respectively.

Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A), originally identified as a potent growth cone collapsing factor in developing sensory neurons, is now recognized as a key player in immune, cardiovascular, bone metabolism and neurological systems. Here we established an anti-Sema3A monoclonal antibody that neutralizes the effects of Sema3A both in vitro and in vivo. The anti-Sema3A neutralization chick IgM antibodies were screened by combining an autonomously diversifying library selection system and an in vitro growth cone collapse assay. We further developed function-blocking chick-mouse chimeric and humanized anti-Sema3A antibodies. We found that our anti-Sema3A antibodies were effective for improving the survival rate in lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis in mice. Our antibody is a potential therapeutic agent that may prevent the onset of or alleviate symptoms of human diseases associated with Sema3A.