IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v15y2024i1d10.1038_s41467-024-49962-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The parasitic lifestyle of an archaeal symbiont

Author

Listed:
  • Joshua N. Hamm

    (UNSW Sydney
    Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research)

  • Yan Liao

    (University of Technology Sydney)

  • Andriko Kügelgen

    (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
    University of Oxford)

  • Nina Dombrowski

    (Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research)

  • Evan Landers

    (UNSW Sydney)

  • Christopher Brownlee

    (University of New South Wales
    University of Wollongong)

  • Emma M. V. Johansson

    (University of New South Wales)

  • Renee M. Whan

    (The University of New South Wales)

  • Matthew A. B. Baker

    (UNSW Sydney)

  • Buzz Baum

    (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology)

  • Tanmay A. M. Bharat

    (MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology
    University of Oxford)

  • Iain G. Duggin

    (University of Technology Sydney)

  • Anja Spang

    (Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research
    University of Amsterdam)

  • Ricardo Cavicchioli

    (UNSW Sydney)

Abstract

DPANN archaea are a diverse group of microorganisms characterised by small cells and reduced genomes. To date, all cultivated DPANN archaea are ectosymbionts that require direct cell contact with an archaeal host species for growth and survival. However, these interactions and their impact on the host species are poorly understood. Here, we show that a DPANN archaeon (Candidatus Nanohaloarchaeum antarcticus) engages in parasitic interactions with its host (Halorubrum lacusprofundi) that result in host cell lysis. During these interactions, the nanohaloarchaeon appears to enter, or be engulfed by, the host cell. Our results provide experimental evidence for a predatory-like lifestyle of an archaeon, suggesting that at least some DPANN archaea may have roles in controlling host populations and their ecology.

Suggested Citation

  • Joshua N. Hamm & Yan Liao & Andriko Kügelgen & Nina Dombrowski & Evan Landers & Christopher Brownlee & Emma M. V. Johansson & Renee M. Whan & Matthew A. B. Baker & Buzz Baum & Tanmay A. M. Bharat & Ia, 2024. "The parasitic lifestyle of an archaeal symbiont," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-49962-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-49962-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-49962-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-024-49962-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-49962-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.