Environmental impact on the genome shaping of putative new Streptomyces species

Researchers have uncovered significant genomic adaptations in two putative new Streptomyces species isolated from the heavily contaminated heap of the Tarnowskie Góry Lead-Silver-Zinc Mine. The study reveals that these bacteria exhibit high conservation in heavy metal adaptive mechanisms, suggesting preadaptation to extreme conditions. Notably, differences in the cad and mer operons indicate specific adaptations to heavy metal contamination, while their ability to produce siderophores further enhances survival in such environments. Comparative genomic analysis also highlights unique biosynthetic gene clusters and variations in energy acquisition processes, distinguishing these strains from other Streptomyces species. The findings suggest that extreme environmental conditions drive rapid genomic evolution, leading to the emergence of new species with conserved adaptation mechanisms against heavy metals.

Lorková, Z., Cimermanová, M., Piknová, M., Adhvaryu, S., Pristaš, P., & Kisková, J. (2025). Environmental impact on the genome shaping of putative new Streptomyces species. BMC Microbiology, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12866-025-03779-x