Evolutionary history of DNA methylation system of deep-sea hydrothermal field microbiota approached by metaepigenomic analysis

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K21203
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H06080 (2018)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2019); Single-year Grants (2018)
• Review Section: 0703:Biology at organismal to population levels and anthropology, and related fields
• Research Institution: Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: HIRAOKA Satoshi 国立研究開発法人海洋研究開発機構, 海洋機能利用部門(生命理工学センター), 特任研究員 (70824423)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-08-24 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: メタエピゲノム解析 / メタゲノム解析 / 海洋細菌 / バイオインフォマティクス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, I planned to investigate epigenomic landscape in deep-sea hydrothermal field microbiota using metaepigenomic approach to reveal the diversity and evolutionary history of prokaryotic DNA modification system. However, I found it would be difficult to extract DNA from hydrothermal sediment samples and genomic sequencing likely due to its background contaminants, and thus I changed the targeted environment from hydrothermal field to marine seawater.
I conducted seawater sampling, DNA extraction, and shotgun sequencing using PacBio sequencer. Several draft genomes were successfully reconstructed, and also a number of methylated motifs including novel ones were detected through bioinformatic analysis. The results of this study provide grate insight into prokaryotic epigenomics in the marine environment.

Free Research Field

バイオインフォマティクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

新型のゲノム解析技術を用いることで、環境中の細菌叢（微生物集団）のエピゲノムを直接解明することを可能にする「メタエピゲノム解析」を、世界で初めて海洋水中の細菌叢に適用した。結果、既存の研究からは想像できないほど多様で普遍的なDNAメチル化モチーフを検出することに成功し、海洋環境中の細菌が持つエピゲノムの包括的な評価のための足がかりとすることができた。