Genome of Betaproteobacterium Caenimonas sp. Strain SL110 Contains a Coenzyme F420 Biosynthesis Gene Cluster

Abstract

To probe the genomic properties of microbes thriving in desert lakes, we sequenced the full genome of a betaproteobacterial strain (SL110) belonging to the understudied genus Caenimonas of the family Comamonadaceae. This strain was isolated from a freshwater lake in the western Gobi Desert, Northern China. Its genome contains genes encoding carbon monoxide dehydrogenase, nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, nitric oxide reductase, and sulfur oxidation enzymes, highlighting the potentially important contribution of this group of bacteria to the cycling of inorganic elements in nature. Unexpectedly, a coenzyme F420 biosynthesis gene cluster was identified. A further search for F420 biosynthesis gene homologs in genomic databases suggests the possible widespread presence of F420 biosynthesis gene clusters in proteobacterial genomes.

Genomic and Transcriptomic Evidence for Carbohydrate Consumption among Microorganisms in a Cold Seep Brine Pool

“…This notion is supported by the high diversity or specificity of particular pathways. Previous studies have discussed the distribution of F 420 biosynthesis genes in the genomes of microorganisms other than Archaea and Actinobacteria (Selengut and Haft, 2010; Li et al, 2014). In the present study, we showed a higher diversity of the F 420 biosynthesis gene cluster than previously assumed, suggesting a possible correlation between these genes and microbial adaptation to the brine pool.…”