Discovery of Chlorophyll d: Isolation and Characterization of a Far-Red Cyanobacterium from the Original Site of Manning and Strain (1943) at Moss Beach, California

Abstract

We have isolated a chlorophyll-d-containing cyanobacterium from the intertidal field site at Moss Beach, on the coast of Central California, USA, where Manning and Strain (1943) originally discovered this far-red chlorophyll. Here, we present the cyanobacterium’s environmental description, culturing procedure, pigment composition, ultrastructure, and full genome sequence. Among cultures of far-red cyanobacteria obtained from red algae from the same site, this strain was an epiphyte on a brown macroalgae. Its Qyin vivo absorbance peak is centered at 704–705 nm, the shortest wavelength observed thus far among the various known Acaryochloris strains. Its Chl a/Chl d ratio was 0.01, with Chl d accounting for 99% of the total Chl d and Chl a mass. TEM imagery indicates the absence of phycobilisomes, corroborated by both pigment spectra and genome analysis. The Moss Beach strain codes for only a single set of genes for producing allophycocyanin. Genomic sequencing yielded a 7.25 Mbp circular chromosome and 10 circular plasmids ranging from 16 kbp to 394 kbp. We have determined that this strain shares high similarity with strain S15, an epiphyte of red algae, while its distinct gene complement and ecological niche suggest that this strain could be the closest known relative to the original Chl d source of Manning and Strain (1943). The Moss Beach strain is designated Acaryochloris sp. (marina) strain Moss Beach.

Microbial adaptation to spaceflight is correlated with bacteriophage-encoded functions

“…Flight isolates of Paenibacillus polymyxa (strains IIFSW-B4 and IIF8SW-P3), Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (strains IIF7SW-P4 and IIF7SC-B1), Pseudomonas fulva strain F8_7S_9B, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus (strains F5_7S_P13 and F6_7S_P5) were grown on tryptic soy agar plates. After 72 h the plates were scraped and biomass was suspended in 1 mL of buffer (100 mM Tris HCl, 50 mM NaCl, pH 7.0), and genomic DNA was extracted via a lysozyme, proteinase K treatment followed by phenol-chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation as outlined in 61 . DNA quality was assessed by fluorometric quantification (Qubit, Invitrogen, Waltham, MA, USA) and UV-Vis microvolume spectrophotometry (Nanodrop, Thermo Fischer Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA).…”

Microbial adaptation to spaceflight is correlated with bacteriophage-encoded functions

“…Colonies were subjected to 10, 20 and 30 J m − 2 of UV-C radiation (254 nm) and monitored for plaque formation. After 72 hours, the colonies were suspended in 1 mL of buffer (100 mM Tris HCl, 50 mM NaCl, pH 7.0), and genomic DNA was extracted via a lysozyme, proteinase K treatment followed by chloroform extraction and ethanol precipitation as outlined in (55). DNA quality was assessed by uorometric quanti cation (Qubit, Invitrogen, Waltham, MA, USA) and UV-Vis microvolume spectrophotometry (Nanodrop, Thermo Fischer Scienti c, Waltham, MA, USA).…”