Polyketide Synthase Gene Diversity within the Microbiome of the Sponge Arenosclera brasiliensis, Endemic to the Southern Atlantic Ocean

Author(s)

Trindade-Silva, Amaro E. ^{[1, 2]} ; Rua, Cintia P. J. ^[2] ; Andrade, Bruno G. N. ^[3] ; Paulo Vicente, Ana Carolina ^[3] ; Silva, Genivaldo G. Z. ^[4] ; Berlinck, Roberto G. S. ^[1] ; Thompson, Fabiano L. ^[2]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Quim Sao Carlos, Sao Carlos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Biol, Rio De Janeiro - Brazil

^[3] Fundacao Oswaldo Cruz, Inst Oswaldo Cruz, Rio De Janeiro - Brazil

^[4] San Diego State Univ, Dept Comp Sci, San Diego, CA 92182 - USA

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Applied and Environmental Microbiology; v. 79, n. 5, p. 1598-1605, MAR 2013.
• Web of Science Citations: 14

Abstract

Microbes associated with marine sponges are considered important producers of bioactive, structurally unique polyketides. The synthesis of such secondary metabolites involves type I polyketide synthases (PKSs), which are enzymes that reach a maximum complexity degree in bacteria. The Haplosclerida sponge Arenosclera brasiliensis hosts a complex microbiota and is the source of arenosclerins, alkaloids with cytotoxic and antibacterial activity. In the present investigation, we performed high-throughput sequencing of the ketosynthase (KS) amplicon to investigate the diversity of PKS genes present in the metagenome of A. brasiliensis. Almost 4,000 ketosynthase reads were recovered, with about 90% annotated automatically as bacterial. A total of 235 bacterial KS contigs was rigorously assembled from this sequence pool and submitted to phylogenetic analysis. A great diversity of six type I PKS groups has been consistently detected in our phylogenetic reconstructions, including a novel and A. brasiliensis-exclusive group. Our study is the first to reveal the diversity of type I PKS genes in A. brasiliensis as well as the potential of its microbiome to serve as a source of new polyketides. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/11612-1 - Characterization of the biosynthetic gene cluster of Arenosclerins, alkylpiperidine alkaloids isolated from the sponge Arenosclera brasiliensis
• Grantee: Amaro Emiliano Trindade Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 10/50190-2 - Investigation of metabolic and biotechnological potential of marine organisms in bioremediation processes and for the production of substances with anti-viral, anti-inflammatory and anti-Leishmania activities (Marine Biodiversity)
• Grantee: Roberto Gomes de Souza Berlinck
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Thematic Grants