Casting Light on the Adaptation Mechanisms and Evolutionary History of the Widespread Sumerlaeota
Yun Fang, Yang Yuan, Jun Liu, Geng Wu, Jian Yang, Zheng‐Shuang Hua, Jibin Han, Xi‐Ying Zhang, Wen‐Jun Li, Hongchen Jiang
Abstract
In recent years, the tree of life has expanded substantially. Despite this, many abundant yet uncultivated microbial groups remain to be explored. The candidate phylum Sumerlaeota is widely distributed in various harsh environments. However, their physiology, adaptation mechanisms, and evolution remain elusive due to a lack of pure cultures and limited available genomes. Here, we used genomes from uncultivated members of Sumerlaeota to disclose why these taxa can thrive under diverse harsh conditions and how they evolved from a chemotrophic and facultatively anaerobic common ancestor. This study deeply explored the biology of Sumerlaeota and provided novel insights into their possible roles in global biogeochemical cycles, adaptation mechanisms, ecological significance, and evolutionary history.