Sood Utkarsh

No Thumbnail Available
Last Name
Sood
First Name
Utkarsh
ORCID

Filters

2017 1
1
1
Reset filters

Settings
Subject: Regulatory hubs ×

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
  • Article
    Comparative genomic analysis reveals habitat-specific genes and regulatory hubs within the genus Novosphingobium
    (American Society for Microbiology, 2017-05-23) Kumar, Roshan ; Verma, Helianthous ; Haider, Shazia ; Bajaj, Abhay ; Sood, Utkarsh ; Ponnusamy, Kalaiarasan ; Nagar, Shekhar ; Shakarad, Mallikarjun N. ; Negi, Ram Krishan ; Singh, Yogendra ; Khurana, J. P. ; Gilbert, Jack A. ; Lal, Rup
    Species belonging to the genus Novosphingobium are found in many different habitats and have been identified as metabolically versatile. Through comparative genomic analysis, we identified habitat-specific genes and regulatory hubs that could determine habitat selection for Novosphingobium spp. Genomes from 27 Novosphingobium strains isolated from diverse habitats such as rhizosphere soil, plant surfaces, heavily contaminated soils, and marine and freshwater environments were analyzed. Genome size and coding potential were widely variable, differing significantly between habitats. Phylogenetic relationships between strains were less likely to describe functional genotype similarity than the habitat from which they were isolated. In this study, strains (19 out of 27) with a recorded habitat of isolation, and at least 3 representative strains per habitat, comprised four ecological groups—rhizosphere, contaminated soil, marine, and freshwater. Sulfur acquisition and metabolism were the only core genomic traits to differ significantly in proportion between these ecological groups; for example, alkane sulfonate (ssuABCD) assimilation was found exclusively in all of the rhizospheric isolates. When we examined osmolytic regulation in Novosphingobium spp. through ectoine biosynthesis, which was assumed to be marine habitat specific, we found that it was also present in isolates from contaminated soil, suggesting its relevance beyond the marine system. Novosphingobium strains were also found to harbor a wide variety of mono- and dioxygenases, responsible for the metabolism of several aromatic compounds, suggesting their potential to act as degraders of a variety of xenobiotic compounds. Protein-protein interaction analysis revealed β-barrel outer membrane proteins as habitat-specific hubs in each of the four habitats—freshwater (Saro_1868), marine water (PP1Y_AT17644), rhizosphere (PMI02_00367), and soil (V474_17210). These outer membrane proteins could play a key role in habitat demarcation and extend our understanding of the metabolic versatility of the Novosphingobium species.