Community-like genome in single cells of the sulfur bacterium Achromatium oxaliferum

Danny Ionescu (), Mina Bizic-Ionescu, Nicola Maio, Heribert Cypionka and Hans-Peter Grossart ()
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Danny Ionescu: Department of Experimental Limnology
Mina Bizic-Ionescu: Department of Experimental Limnology
Nicola Maio: University of Oxford
Heribert Cypionka: University of Oldenburg
Hans-Peter Grossart: Department of Experimental Limnology

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract Polyploid bacteria are common, but the genetic and functional diversity resulting from polyploidy is unknown. Here we use single-cell genomics, metagenomics, single-cell amplicon sequencing, and fluorescence in situ hybridization, to show that individual cells of Achromatium oxaliferum, the world’s biggest known freshwater bacterium, harbor genetic diversity typical of whole bacterial communities. The cells contain tens of transposable elements, which likely cause the unprecedented diversity that we observe in the sequence and synteny of genes. Given the high within-cell diversity of the usually conserved 16S ribosomal RNA gene, we suggest that gene conversion occurs in multiple, separated genomic hotspots. The ribosomal RNA distribution inside the cells hints to spatially differential gene expression. We also suggest that intracellular gene transfer may lead to extensive gene reshuffling and increased diversity.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-00342-9

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