Multidisciplinary


Publications
185

Heme auxotrophy in abundant aquatic microbial lineages

Citation
Kim et al. (2021). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118 (47)
Names
“Planktophila rubra” “Planktophila aquatilis”
Abstract
Significance Heme is essential for respiration. As a cofactor of cytochromes, heme functions as a main electron carrier in all respiratory electron transport chains. Therefore, it is natural to expect all respiring and free-living microorganisms to make heme. Against this expectation, here we show that the acI lineage, one of the most abundant bacterial groups in freshwater environments, is unable to biosynthesize heme and requires exogenous heme. Furthermore, we provide genomic eviden

Multiple energy sources and metabolic strategies sustain microbial diversity in Antarctic desert soils

Citation
Ortiz et al. (2021). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 118 (45)
Names
“Ca. Aridivita willemsiae” “Ca. Aridivita” “Ca. Aridivitaceae” Ca. Aridivitales Ca. Aridivitia
Abstract
Significance Diverse microbial life has been detected in the cold desert soils of Antarctica once thought to be barren. Here, we provide metagenomic, biogeochemical, and culture-based evidence that Antarctic soil microorganisms are phylogenetically and functionally distinct from those in other soils and adopt various metabolic and ecological strategies. The most abundant community members are metabolically versatile aerobes that use ubiquitous atmospheric trace gases to potentially mee

Olive fruit fly and its obligate symbiont Candidatus Erwinia dacicola: Two new symbiont haplotypes in the Mediterranean basin

Citation
Nobre (2021). PLOS ONE 16 (9)
Names
Ca. Erwinia dacicola
Abstract
The olive fruit fly, specialized to become monophagous during several life stages, remains the most important olive tree pest with high direct production losses, but also affecting the quality, composition, and inherent properties of the olives. Thought to have originated in Africa is nowadays present wherever olive groves are grown. The olive fruit fly evolved to harbor a vertically transmitted and obligate bacterial symbiont -Candidatus Erwinia dacicola- leading thus to a tight evolutionary hi

Disentangling the syntrophic electron transfer mechanisms of Candidatus geobacter eutrophica through electrochemical stimulation and machine learning

Citation
Yuan et al. (2021). Scientific Reports 11 (1)
Names
“Geobacter eutrophicus”
Abstract
AbstractInterspecies hydrogen transfer (IHT) and direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) are two syntrophy models for methanogenesis. Their relative importance in methanogenic environments is still unclear. Our recent discovery of a novel species Candidatus Geobacter eutrophica with the genetic potential of IHT and DIET may serve as a model species to address this knowledge gap. To experimentally demonstrate its DIET ability, we performed electrochemical enrichment of Ca. G. eutrophica-domi

Multiplex detection of “Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” and Spiroplasma citri by qPCR and droplet digital PCR

Citation
Maheshwari et al. (2021). PLOS ONE 16 (3)
Names
Ca. Liberibacter asiaticus
Abstract
“Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus” (CLas) and Spiroplasma citri are phloem-limited bacteria that infect citrus and are transmitted by insect vectors. S. citri causes citrus stubborn disease (CSD) and is vectored by the beet leafhopper in California. CLas is associated with the devastating citrus disease, Huanglongbing (HLB), and is vectored by the Asian citrus psyllid. CLas is a regulatory pathogen spreading in citrus on residential properties in southern California and is an imminent threat to

‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’ subgroups display distinct disease progression dynamics during the carrot growing season

Citation
Clements et al. (2021). PLOS ONE 16 (2)
Names
Ca. Phytoplasma asteris
Abstract
Aster Yellows phytoplasma (AYp; ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’) is an obligate bacterial pathogen that is the causative agent of multiple diseases in herbaceous plants. While this phytoplasma has been examined in depth for its disease characteristics, knowledge about the spatial and temporal dynamics of pathogen spread is lacking. The phytoplasma is found in plant’s phloem and is vectored by leafhoppers (Cicadellidae: Hemiptera), including the aster leafhopper, Macrosteles quadrilineatus Forbe

Genetic variation, phylogenetic relationship and spatial distribution of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ulmi’ strains in Germany

Citation
Schneider et al. (2020). Scientific Reports 10 (1)
Names
Ca. Phytoplasma ulmi
Abstract
AbstractA recent survey in Germany revealed the wide presence of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma ulmi’ in native elm stands. Accessions were studied for their genetic variability and phylogenetic relationship based on the conserved groEL and the variable imp gene. While the groEL sequences revealed a high intraspecific homology of more than 99%, the homology of the imp gene dropped to 71% between distantly related sequences. Twenty-nine groEL and 74 imp genotypes were distinguished based on polymorphic