Fang Zhao

The past two decades has witnessed a remarkable increase in the number of microbial genomes retrieved from marine systems1,2. However, it has remained challenging to translate this marine genomic diversity into biotechnological and biomedical applications3,4. Here we recovered 43,191 bacterial and archaeal genomes from publicly available marine metagenomes, encompassing a wide range of diversity with 138 distinct phyla, redefining the upper limit of marine bacterial genome size and revealing complex trade-offs between the occurrence of CRISPR–Cas systems and antibiotic resistance genes. In silico bioprospecting of these marine genomes led to the discovery of a novel CRISPR–Cas9 system, ten antimicrobial peptides, and three enzymes that degrade polyethylene terephthalate. In vitro experiments confirmed their effectiveness and efficacy. This work provides evidence that global-scale sequencing initiatives advance our understanding of how microbial diversity has evolved in the oceans and is maintained, and demonstrates how such initiatives can be sustainably exploited to advance biotechnology and biomedicine. Analysis of 43,191 genomes obtained from publicly available marine bacterial and archaeal metagenome data provides insights into marine bacterial evolution, CRISPR–Cas defence and antibiotic resistance genes, and demonstrates the potential of marine metagenomes for biotechnological applications.

Haptophyta represents a major taxonomic group, with plastids derived from the primary plastids of red algae. Here, we elucidated the cryoelectron microscopy structure of the photosystem I–light-harvesting complex I (PSI–LHCI) supercomplex from the haptophyte Isochrysis galbana . The PSI core comprises 12 subunits, which have evolved differently from red algae and cryptophytes by losing the PsaO subunit while incorporating the PsaK subunit, which is absent in diatoms and dinoflagellates. The PSI core is encircled by 22 fucoxanthin-chlorophyll a / c -binding light-harvesting antenna proteins (iFCPIs) that form a trilayered antenna arrangement. Moreover, a pigment-binding subunit, L iFP , which has not been identified in any other previously characterized PSI–LHCI supercomplexes, was determined in I. galbana PSI–iFCPI, presumably facilitating the interactions and energy transfer between peripheral iFCPIs and the PSI core. Calculation of excitation energy transfer rates by computational simulations revealed that the intricate pigment network formed within PSI–iFCPI ensures efficient transfer of excitation energy. Overall, our study provides a solid structural foundation for understanding the light-harvesting and energy transfer mechanisms in haptophyte PSI–iFCPI and provides insights into the evolution and structural variations of red-lineage PSI–LHCIs.

Histidine and arginine may create an interphase on the zinc surface, optimize the electrolyte's solvation structure, and modify the structure of the electric double layer (EDL).