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The genome of the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana: Ecology, evolution, and metabolism

Published in:

Science 306(5693) , 79-86 (Oct 1 2004)

Author(s):

Armbrust, E. V., Berges, J. A., Bowler, C., Green, B. R., Martinez, D., Putnam, N. H., Zhou, S. G., Allen, A. E., Apt, K. E., Bechner, M., Brzezinski, M. A., Chaal, B. K., Chiovitti, A., Davis, A. K., Demarest, M. S., Detter, J. C., Glavina, T., Goodstein, D., Hadi, M. Z., Hellsten, U., Hildebrand, M., Jenkins, B. D., Jurka, J., Kapitonov, V. V., Kroger, N., Lau, W. W. Y., Lane, T. W., Larimer, F. W., Lippmeier, J. C., Lucas, S., Medina, M., Montsant, A., Obornik, M., Parker, M. S., Palenik, B., Pazour, G. J., Richardson, P. M., Rynearson, T. A., Saito, M. A., Schwartz, D. C., Thamatrakoln, K., Valentin, K., Vardi, A., Wilkerson, F. P., Rokhsar, D. S.

DOI:

Doi 10.1126/Science.1101156

Abstract:

Diatoms are unicellular algae with plastids acquired by secondary endosymbiosis. They are responsible for similar to20% of global carbon fixation. We report the 34 million-base pair draft nuclear genome of the marine diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana and its 129 thousand-base pair ptastid and 44 thousand-base pair mitochondrial genomes. Sequence and optical restriction mapping revealed 24 diploid nuclear chromosomes. We identified novel genes for silicic acid transport and formation of silica-based cell walls, high-affinity iron uptake, biosynthetic enzymes for several types of polyunsaturated fatty acids, use of a range of nitrogenous compounds, and a complete urea cycle, all attributes that allow diatoms to prosper in aquatic environments.

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