Abstract
Cupriavidus metallidurans has been mostly studied because of its resistance to numerous heavy metals and is increasingly being recovered from other environments not typified by metal contamination. They host a large and diverse mobile gene pool, next to their native megaplasmids. Here, we used comparative genomics and global metabolic comparison to assess the impact of the mobilome on growth capabilities, nutrient utilization, and sensitivity to chemicals of type strain CH34 and three isolates (NA1, NA4 and H1130). The latter were isolated from water sources aboard the International Space Station (NA1 and NA4) and from an invasive human infection (H1130). The mobilome was expanded as prophages were predicted in NA4 and H1130, and a genomic island putatively involved in abietane diterpenoids metabolism was identified in H1130. An active CRISPR-Cas system was identified in strain NA4, providing immunity to a plasmid that integrated in CH34 and NA1. No correlation between the mobilome and isolation environment was found. In addition, our comparison indicated that the metal resistance determinants and properties are conserved among these strains and thus maintained in these environments. Furthermore, all strains were highly resistant to a wide variety of chemicals, much broader than metals. Only minor differences were observed in the phenomes (measured by phenotype microarrays), despite the large difference in mobilomes and the variable (shared by two or three strains) and strain-specific genomes.
Highlights
Cupriavidus metallidurans type strain CH34, which was isolated from a decantation basin in the non-ferrous metallurgical factory at Engis, Belgium [1], has been mostly studied because of its resistance to numerous heavy metals [2]
The comparison of four C. metallidurans strains from in different environmentsAs indicated that metal resistance determinants and properties areisolated maintained these environments
As most of the metal determinants are on the native megaplasmids, it could be argued that these environments the metal determinants are onfor thethe native megaplasmids, could be argued that these The environments provided a selective pressure conservation of theseitdeterminants and plasmids
Summary
Cupriavidus metallidurans type strain CH34, which was isolated from a decantation basin in the non-ferrous metallurgical factory at Engis, Belgium [1], has been mostly studied because of its resistance to numerous heavy metals [2]. It tolerates high concentrations of metal (oxyan)ions, including Cu+ , Cu2+ , Ni2+ , Zn2+ , Co2+ , Cd2+ , CrO4 2− , Pb2+ , Ag+ , Au+ , Au3+ , HAsO4 2− , AsO2− , Hg2+ , Cs+ , Bi3+ , Tl+ , SeO3 2− , SeO4 2− and Sr2+ [2,3]. C. metallidurans strains were found in the drinking water and dust collected from the International
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
