Open AccessNovel integrons and gene cassettes from a C ascadian submarine gas‐hydrate‐bearing core
Author(s) -
Elsaied Hosam,
Stokes Hatch W.,
Yoshioka Hideyoshi,
Mitani Yasuo,
Maruyama Akihiko
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
fems microbiology ecology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.377
H-Index - 155
eISSN - 1574-6941
pISSN - 0168-6496
DOI - 10.1111/1574-6941.12227
Subject(s) - biology , archaea , metagenomics , phylotype , integron , fosmid , gene , genetics , homology (biology) , gene cassette , integrase , 16s ribosomal rna , plasmid
To determine whether integrons are present in a submarine gas hydrate community, metagenomic DNA was extracted from a gas‐hydrate‐bearing core, 150 m below the seafloor, from the Cascadian Margin. Integrons and gene cassettes were recovered by PCR from metagenomic DNA and sequenced. Thirty‐seven integron integrase phylotypes were identified. The phylotypes were diverse and included members with homology to integrases from M ethylomonas methanica, D esulfuromonas acetoxidans, T hermodesulfatator indicus, and marine uncultured bacteria. The gene cassette composition, 153 gene cassettes, was dominated by two types of encoded putative proteins. The first of these was predicted oxidoreductases, such as iron/sulfur cluster‐binding proteins. A second type was alkyl transferases. Some cassette proteins showed homologies with those from methane‐related archaea. These observations suggest that integrons may assist in the adaptation of microbial communities in this environment.