2022 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report

Microbiome mining: machine learning for discovery of genetic dark matter, metabolic pathways, and ecological processes from metagenomes

Research Project

Project/Area Number	18H03367
Research Institution	National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
Principal Investigator	延優 (NOBUMASARU・KONISHI) 国立研究開発法人産業技術総合研究所, 生命工学領域, 主任研究員 (40805644)
Project Period (FY)	2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
Keywords	Bioinformatics / Methanogenesis / Archaea
Outline of Annual Research Achievements	Through phylogenetic analyses, we have identified the origin of genes encoding proteins that mediate one modern ability (degradation of artificial compounds/xenobiotics) and one ancient ability (generation of methane). While we found multiple origins for xenobiotic degradation of the same compounds in extant bacterial families, we found a single origin for methane production prior to the emergence of archaea. The latter discovery involved tracing of catabolic and anabolic genes and enzyme-independent activities of cofactors central to catabolism. We have also traced the evolution of non-methane production related genes in Archaea, showing how certain functions evolved alongside methane production.
Research Progress Status	令和4年度が最終年度であるため、記入しない。
Strategy for Future Research Activity	令和4年度が最終年度であるため、記入しない。