Whole Genome Sequence of <i>Dermacoccus</i> <i>abyssi </i>MT1.1 Isolated from the Challenger Deep of the Mariana Trench Reveals Phenazine Biosynthesis Locus and Environmental Adaptation Factors

Abstract

Dermacoccus abyssi strain MT1.1T is a piezotolerant actinobacterium that was isolated from Mariana Trench sediment collected at a depth of 10898 m. The organism was found to produce ten dermacozines (A‒J) that belonged to a new phenazine family and which displayed various biological activities such as radical scavenging and cytotoxicity. Here, we report on the isolation and identification of a new dermacozine compound, dermacozine M, the chemical structure of which was determined using 1D and 2D-NMR, and high resolution MS. A whole genome sequence of the strain contained six secondary metabolite-biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs), including one responsible for the biosynthesis of a family of phenazine compounds. A pathway leading to the biosynthesis of dermacozines is proposed. Bioinformatic analyses of key stress-related genes provide an insight into how the organism adapted to the environmental conditions that prevail in the deep-sea.

Keywords

• mariana trench
• <i>dermacoccus abyssi</i> mt1.1^t
• dermacozines
• genome sequencing
• biosynthetic gene clusters